Flying in the Electric Sky: 20 Must-See Artists at EDC Vegas 2019

[NelsonG]

List composed in collaboration by Cody Smith & Mark Fabrick

In just under one week, EDC Vegas returns… hyped yet? The massive festival will once again take place at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, bringing along a stacked lineup, immense production and lights on lights on lights. Insomniac has released the lineup by stage, but as you can see, it’s going to be challenging to pick among your favorites.

The schedule has just been released, and Your EDM now has you covered with a must-see guide. We somehow narrowed the list down to 20 artists, ranging from favorites like deadmau5 to up-and-comers like Ducky. Check our picks below, organized by day.

Friday

deadmau5

For a while there, deadmau5 and Insomniac boss, Pasquale Rotella, were beefing. No longer the case, as the mau5 has made appearances at some So Cal Insomniac fests over the past year and a half. But, this is something else, deadmau5 will be performing at EDC Las Vegas for the very first time (he performed at the final EDC in Los Angeles in 2010), and he’ll have all of the live elements of his Cube 3.0 on display. Hence, why he’ll be playing at Cosmic Meadow, and not Kinetic Field. This legendary artist is sure to command a prime slot on Friday night, expect not just the infield grass, but the grandstands to be packed for this one.

Ducky (Live)

Ducky may not be a household name, but she has more rave cred than most. The producer/DJ has been in the scene for years, but she has finally gotten her due. With a sound crossing dreamy synths and vocals with percussion straight from 90s rave tunes, Ducky melds nostalgia with progressive production. She debuts her new live show this year, and the Cosmic Meadow stage will be one of the show’s lucky stops. Plus, with a new EP and new singles from this year out already, we can expect a lot of new music from her show.

Eric Prydz

Eric Prydz is one of those legendary artists who is a yearly fixture at EDC. So, why can’t you miss him? Because he always brings the most epic production to the Circuit Grounds every year, and no two Prydz shows are ever the same. The Swedish master was also relatively quiet on the release front this year, as he did quite a bit of touring as his alias Cirez D. Last year Prydz unleashed a maelstrom of new tracks at his Circuit Grounds set, and I would expect tons of new tracks this year as well. Oh, and lasers too, of course.

Solardo b2b Idris Elba

EDC has become of the top spots for unique b2b sets. This year, we get a once-in-a-lifetime b2b between a massive actor/DJ and a popping tech house duo. Idris Elba, coming off a beloved Coachella set, makes his EDC debut at Neon Garden, a perfect venue for his UK house style. Add in Solardo, known for their tribal tech house, and you’ve got a stew going. Having either act individually would’ve been great, but this b2b has promise to be one of the best of the festival.

Gorgon City (Live)

Gorgon City returns to EDC after their 2018 DJ set, but this set will be the EDC debut of their new live show. If you caught the duo at Coachella, you’d know their live set is one of the most unique in electronic music right now. Accompanying the duo themselves are singers, instrumentalists and special guests. This live show at Cosmic Meadow guarantees a slam-dunk performance, and we appreciate the live element given the heavy DJ focus of this year’s lineup.

The Glitch Mob

While it appears we won’t be treated to their live show, the fact that the Glitch Mob is playing EDC is still quite the treat. One of the most unique acts in the dance music world, the Glitch Mob live show is one of a kind and can’t be missed. However, that’s not to say that their DJ set at the Basspod won’t be absolutely insane! Honestly, I could see them playing the sunrise slot, as their smoothly produced tunes would be the perfect way for headbangers to unwind and end Day 1. Also check out this video they posted of the crowd at EDC Los Angeles 2007, things have changed in 12 years.

Here we are playing to 11 people on the basspod stage at EDC LA 2007 never give up. pic.twitter.com/xeoziaHm6s

— The Glitch Mob (@theglitchmob) March 27, 2019

Skream b2b Rusko (Old Skool Dubstep Set)

Another mind-blowing b2b, this time between two of the OG pioneers of dubstep coming out of the UK in the aughts. This set is sure to be a treat for old and new ravers alike as history class will be in session. We know what type of tunes to expect, but we have no idea how this will all be presented. This is definitely a reward set, so I’d expect this as one of the later sets of the morning at Basspod (maybe right before Glitch Mob, maybe right after.)

Saturday

Chris Lake Presents Black Book

Chris Lake is one of the big artists leading the accessible house and tech sound. His style dominated much of EDM’s direction in 2019. And while you can check out a regular Chris Lake set at Cosmic Meadow, there’s a deeper set waiting for your discovery. Chris Lake will present his Black Book show at Stereobloom, a smaller but fitting stage for his deeper tunes. Lake toured the The Black Book Experience last year, but this marks one of the set’s biggest platforms yet.

Ferry Corsten Presents System F

We had to highlight at least one trance set for this weekend, especially since the Quantum Valley stage is expanding to a mega structure this year. This would have to be a set worth checking out as one of the pioneers of trance performs one of his most sought after sets. System F is of course Ferry’s harder trance alias, so if you’re looking for something that’s less vibes and more groove, this might be it for you. Either way, Quantum Valley was an awesome stage last year, so it’s definitely worth checking out.

Get Real: Green Velvet & Claude VonStroke

Deeper sounds are slowly returning to Kinetic Field. The stage used to include some deeper artists, but veered back to mainstage-friendly EDM recently. But, this year marks the glorious return of the deep end to the stage, and Get Real should go down as one of the best sets. The duo comprises the legendary Green Velvet and Dirtybird label boss Claude VonStroke. Both artists have championed the accessible sounds of house and tech, so this set could help unknown ears make their way to the deeper side of the pool.

Martin Garrix

The #1 DJ in the world has also been a constant fixture at EDC over the years, however Martin doesn’t usually play Kinetic Field. For the third time in four years, he’ll be taking his breathtaking visuals and lasers to the Circuit Grounds. If you watched his closing performance at Ultra Miami this year, you know the young Dutchman pushed the absolute limits of what the stage was capable of doing, and he should be doing the exact same thing at EDC. There is nothing like seeing lasers launched into the night and the fireworks of the electric sky. Safe bet you’ll see all of that at Martin’s set on Saturday in what should be a prime time slot.

ARTBAT

EDC loves to sneak in some shocking artists to its lineup. One of the best examples this year is house and techno duo ARTBAT. EDM fans may not know their name, but the Ukrainian duo has risen quickly over the past year. If deadmau5 plays your songs in his Essential Mix episode, you know they’re worth checking out. ARTBAT will play Neon Garden on Saturday, and we’re curious to see how they adapt their set to the EDM festival crowd.

RL Grime

The king of trap is returning to EDC, and this is sure to be a titanic performance. Last year saw him release his highly acclaimed album NOVA as well as launch his own label, Sable Valley. Needless to say RL should have a bevy of new music, IDs and remixes to share with the crowd. However, the versatile producer is not just a star in the EDM world; RL has collaborated with some of the finest in rap and hip-hop, so it’s seems like a safe bet that there might be some special guests at his Kinetic Field set (he brought out R&B singer Miguel in 2017).

REZZ

REZZ remains one of EDM’s greatest success stories. Her rise to prominence was well deserved after her slew of original tracks and remixes, not to mention the growth of her live show. Last year she released her new album Certain Kind of Magic a few months after EDC Vegas, so fans heard got some sneak peeks. However, this year we can hear the full brunt of her new material at Circuit Grounds. We might even get lucky to hear some new music as well.

ZHU

Dance music’s man in black will make his EDC debut at Cosmic Meadow. Let’s face it, EDC is a festival based around DJs, but live dance music has really been coming along lately, and it’s reflected in this year’s lineup. ZHU put out his masterful album, Ringos Desert, last year, so I would anticipate a lot of songs of that album. ZHU always has a live guitarist and saxophonist in tow for his sets, and the Cosmic Meadow looks to be the main setting for live music this weekend. ZHU’s dreamy, ethereal, and sensual sounds certainly set the mood, depending upon his time slot, Ringo’s Desert might be an actual oasis at EDC as a way to get away from all the craziness inside the festival. That grass is comfy, and sitting in the grandstands and vibing out is also a nice treat.

Sunday

Amelie Lens

No artist better epitomizes the breakneck rise of fame than Amelie Lens. The techno producer/DJ blew up the past two years, becoming one of Drumcode‘s shining stars. It’s only fitting Lens plays at Neon Garden as part of Adam Beyer Presents Drumcode. Even fans of other genres could appreciate Lens sets: massive drops, hard drums and catchy, nuanced melodies. It’s wonderful to see a prominent woman gain such traction, and EDC could introduce her to even more fans.

Jamie Jones

For the past few years, Jamie Jones has hosted his famous Paradise party at Neon Garden. The iconic DJ and producer returns this year, but in a surprising way: on the Kinetic Field. Much like Get Real, Jones’ appearance on EDC’s main stage reflects a gradual move to showcase different sounds. Jones is already a more accessible artist, so we’re curious to hear how he curates his set for the main stage crowd. Also, will be play earlier in the night, or later? Finally, we hope Jones appears for another set, perhaps even at his home turf of Neon Garden, but it’s cool to see him in a more challenging spot.

ANNA

ANNA has been around for a little while now, but the Drumcode favorite is finally hitting bigger recognition. Her consistent releases, not to mention a remix of the year contender for Jon Hopkins, helped raise her profiles. Her sets also showcase the best of her own productions with fantastic song selection and DJing to boot. She’ll play alongside Drumcode label-mates for the record label takeover at the Neon Garden. Girl power is in full swing at EDC this year, and ANNA is definitely a set worth seeing.

Svdden Death

One of the fastest rising names in bass and dubstep will be taking over Basspod on Sunday night. Svdden Death has been a Bassrush favorite lately, and fresh off a collab with Marshmello, this heavy producer’s star is rising. His set at Basspod on Sunday should perfectly capture what the Basspod stage is all about, head-banging and just obscene rowdiness. This is sure to be one of the most packed sets at Basspod all weekend long. Breaking your neck might be an actual risk here.

Zeds Dead

Zeds Dead have been pioneers in bass music for the past decade. So Cal ravers are probably used to seeing them at HARD Summer, and HARD is hosting Cosmic Meadow. However, Zeds Dead will be afforded a different crowd and the ability to dazzle with incredible visuals as they take over Circuit Grounds this year. The Canadian legends of bass should have a ton of new IDs and remixes as they’ve been putting in work, like they always have, both creating and cultivating music. The Circuit Grounds should provide an epic setting for one of the most iconic acts in not just bass music, but dance music too.

 

Photo via Jake West for Insomniac

This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: Flying in the Electric Sky: 20 Must-See Artists at EDC Vegas 2019

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